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New Zealand filmmaker James Ashcroft’s debut,Coming Home in the Dark,was a bleak and unsettling thriller. Well, with his sophomore feature,The Rule of Jenny Pen, “bleak” is a generous description. This psychological thriller is downright punishing — an arduous hour and 43 minutes devoid of substance or anything that would make sitting through the film’s literal torture a worthwhile experience.
The Rule of Jenny PenReview
The Rule of Jenny Penfollows a once-respected judge recovering from a stroke in a rehabilitation home, as he finds himself being terrorized by a psychopath who uses a child’s puppet to abuse the other residents. While this is certainly an intriguing hook, it doesn’t amount to much of a story beyond seeing this pain being inflicted.
Ultimately, the biggest issue withThe Rule of Jenny Penis that it’s incredibly mean-spirited and pointless. Its message essentially boils down to “getting old sucks.” It’s not asking us to treat our elders with more respect; it’s not exposing systemic injustices in the elder care system; it’s literally just showing 100 minutes of retirees being abused by one another and asking us to laugh or squirm at the violence.
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The result is an incredibly monotonous and frustrating viewing experience. If Ashcroft’s purpose was solely to agitate, he succeeds, as viewers will spend the entirety of the runtime feeling annoyed — albeit not for the right reasons. In a few moments, the movie embraces its premise’s potential wackiness and gives audiences some things to laugh (uneasily) at, but these moments are too few and far between forThe Rule of Jenny Pento be anything but oppressive.
Ashcroft also doesn’t do anything with the execution that is particularly memorable. A few moments of sound design are effective, like a cracking bone that will have a visceral impact on viewers, but the film does shockingly little otherwise. One would think that, given the confined setting of the nursing home, Ashcroft would at least try to capitalize on a feeling of claustrophobia and entrapment, but those elements are sorely missing here.
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The character development inThe Rule of Jenny Penalso leaves something to be desired. Seeing literal torture committed against people is a much more harrowing experience when you actually care about the victim. It gives the act and its consequences deeper emotional stakes. The opening scene attempts to provide us with a reason to like and care about the protagonist, but for much of the rest of the movie, we see him as pitiable, not so much sympathetic.
Geoffrey Rush’s performance in the leading role is genuinely the only reason to recommend this film. Although it’s noThe Father, roles of aging, dementia-stricken people are fertile ground for excellent turns by veteran actors.The King’s SpeechandPirates of the Caribbeanstar Rush leans into the psychological horror aspects of the degenerative disease, giving a performance that is rightfully unsettling and surprisingly empathetic for a movie like this.
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On the other hand, his co-star John Lithgow is so cartoonishly exaggerated that it’s impossible to take the film seriously. Lithgow plays his role hammy and ridiculously evil, and while there are a few moments that are so demented they reach the level of fun, most of his role just feels mean-spirited to no end. He also puts on a faux Aussie accent that isn’t entirely believable.
IsThe Rule of Jenny Penworth watching?
The Rule of Jenny Penis simply one of the most aggravating movies of the year. It’s uncomfortable, but not rewardingly so, making it a chore to get through the 100+ minute runtime. Geoffrey Rush gives a solid performance, but it’s hardly enough to recommend suffering through this unpleasant psychological horror flick.
The Rule of Jenny Penplayed at the 2024 edition of Fantastic Fest, which runs September 19-26.
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Sean Boelman
Managing Editor for Film and TV
Articles Published :441
Sean is the Managing Editor for Film and Television, working to determine editorial strategy for the critics team. He has been on the FandomWire team since 2022.In addition to writing reviews himself, Sean helps match writers on the FandomWire team with assignments that best fit their interests and expertise.
